Podcast Summary
Liquid biopsy for breast cancer detection: A new liquid biopsy test can detect breast cancer up to 41 months before symptoms appear, potentially enabling earlier intervention and life-extending treatments.
A new liquid biopsy test has the potential to detect breast cancer up to 41 months before symptoms appear, offering the possibility of earlier intervention and potentially life-extending treatments. The study, conducted by researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, found that circulating tumor DNA was detected in the blood of 11 women who later experienced cancer relapse. The earliest detection was 41 months before a scan confirmed the diagnosis. This test could lay the groundwork for better post-treatment monitoring and potentially life-extending treatments. The researchers tested blood samples at the point of diagnosis, then again following surgery and chemotherapy, and repeated the tests every 3 months for the next year and every 6 months for the next 5 years. However, it's still early days, and it's unclear when the test could become widely available. This news follows other recent developments in cancer research, including the use of saliva tests for prostate cancer and the availability of personalized vaccine trials for NHS cancer patients in England. On the other hand, the number of melanoma skin cancer cases in the UK is expected to hit record levels.
Healthcare news delivery: Accurate and timely healthcare news is crucial, especially during a pandemic. Newsbreak collaborates with medical experts and organizations to ensure reliable, evidence-based information and makes it accessible to a broad audience on Lotus FM.
During our discussion, we explored the role of Newsbreak's Medical Monitor, Matthew Veron, in delivering healthcare news on Lotus FM, a radio station powered by SABC News. Matthew emphasized the importance of accurate and timely health information, especially during a pandemic. He also shared how Newsbreak collaborates with medical experts and organizations to ensure the information they disseminate is reliable and evidence-based. Furthermore, Matthew highlighted the accessibility of their platform, making vital health information available to a broad audience. Overall, the discussion underscored the significance of having a dedicated medical news platform like Newsbreak on Lotus FM, providing essential health information to the public.